Courtesy Photo. UWB students recently recovered 83 pounds of trash from the Sammamish River.The UW Bothell students in Rob Turner’s Estuaries In Trouble summer course probably had no idea their classroom would take the shape of a floating garbage patrol on Bothell’s Sammamish River.

Turner says the best way to learn is by doing. "I want the students to understand how pollutants from the land around the Puget Sound are causing its degradation."

So he found a hands-on learning opportunity through a community partnership with Puget Soundkeeper Alliance. Their mission is to protect and preserve the waters of Puget Sound by monitoring, cleaning up and preventing pollutants from entering its waters.

On Friday, August 9, class was in session at the Park at Bothell Landing. A local kayaking company outfitted the students and taught basic river safety and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance explained the morning’s river mission as students were armed with nets and monitoring devices.

Mycole Brown, a biology major, said he expected to find plastic, oil and knowledge. "I hope to gain a better understanding of the health of rivers and of the various instruments we use."

The students eagerly took to the river in several canoes and kayaks.

After spending a couple of hours patrolling for all types of pollutants, they turned their finds over to the City of Bothell’s Surface Water Management division. In all, the recovered trash weighed in at 83 pounds.

Turner says he wants this experience to have a long- lasting impact on the students and the environment.

"I hope the students will be jazzed at doing this type of citizen science that can have an impact on the quality of the water," he said.

He added that he also hopes the students will volunteer again. And Puget Soundkeeper Alliance could use the help.

The Sammamish River is sixth in their quest to clean up 12 Rivers in 12 Months.

Haley Duke, a senior majoring in environmental studies, heard the call. She says this first-hand experience won’t be her last and she issued an invitation: "I hope to help today and I encourage everybody in the community to do this work."